What is God seeking to do

in and through

The United Methodist Church

in Indiana ?

What is God seeking to do

in and through

The United Methodist Church

in Indiana ?

“God, by the power at work within us, is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine.”

“God, by the power at work within us, is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine.”

Ephesians 3:20-21

“abundantly far more than all we can ask

or imagine”

“abundantly far more than all we can ask

or imagine”

prayerprayer

imagineimagine

studystudy

Laity and Clergy

Laity and Clergy

Since 1968Since 1968

TransportationTransportation

CommunicationsCommunications

Diversity

EconomicCenters

High School Consolidatio

ns

Public Education

oneonevisionvision

oneleaderoneleader

onevoiceonevoice

MomentumMomentum

EnergyEnergy

The time has come

with God’s leading

to make a positive difference

laity andclergylaity andclergy

Local Congregations

building up thebody of Christbuilding up thebody of Christ

personal discipleshippersonal

discipleship

Local Congregations

prayer and worship

prayer and worship

transformationalwitness

transformationalwitness

Local Congregations

Local Congregations

A cluster is a network of

United Methodist

congregations

A cluster will be composed

of laity and clergy

Each local congregation will be part of a cluster

John WesleyJohn Wesley

Horizontial AccountabilityHorizontial Accountability

a covenant of prayer

cooperationcollaboration

and evaluation

Pastors will

participate in

clusters

Pastors will

participate in

clustersfor mutual support

encouragementand

accountability

Laity will also participate in

clusters

Laity will also participate in

clusters

led by God to transform their community and

world

Clusters will be connected in

regions

Resources for

program supportprogram support

supervisionsupervision

educationeducation

Regions

economic centers

population concentrations

transportation routes

believers

congregations congregations

clustersregions

conference

Annual Conference celebration

worship

inspiration

training

andengagement

with host communities

Affinity Groups

self-selected partners

coming together

for ministry

Multi-Site Ministry

Multi-Site Ministry

Campus MinistryCampus Ministry

Prison MinistryPrison Ministry

Implementation Team

will be formed

to work out details

in the coming year

pensionspensions

insuranceinsurancehealthhealth

Benefit Programs

common data basecommon data base

coordinated communication

system

coordinated communication

system

greater effectiveness

in the deployment of clergy

greater effectiveness

in the deployment of clergy

increase in roles for laityincrease in

roles for laity

New Conferenc

e

New Conferenc

e

energizingenergizing

New Conferenc

e

New Conferenc

e

but worth it !but worth it !

bring challenges

bring challengestake timetake time

God is doing a new thing.

God is doing a new thing.

Join us in this ongoing journey of faith.Join us in this ongoing journey of faith.

Our recommendation is as follows:

A new conference be created in the state of Indiana to meet for the first time in the year 2009 as the legal successor to each of the existing conferences.

A formal request be made to the 2008 North Central Jurisdictional

Conference for permission to create one conference

in Indiana.

An authorization be given to the bishop to name a team to develop a detailed plan of implementation to be brought to the 2008 sessions of the North Indiana Conference and South Indiana Conference for approval.

The new conference be formed in accordance with these

guiding principles.

A recognition of the local congregation

as the most significant arena in which disciple-making occurs

A shared ministry in which individual believers are connected to local congregations, local congregations are gathered into geographical clusters, geographical clusters are partnered with one another in regions, and regions are linked together as the conference

An expectation of collaboration that encourages the natural formation of partnerships based on shared affinities

An expectation of excellence in the formation of leaders,

both lay and clergy

A willingness to be held accountable, both personally and corporately, to our covenant relationships to God

and one another for the redemption of the world

A spirit of openness to explore new ways, models, and methods of being the church,

with the expectation of learning from both successes and failures

An administrative professional staff that serves to centralize common tasks (for example, finance, communication, technology), and programmatic professional staff that serves to resource congregations, clusters, and regions

A central location for the bishop's office

and a centralized system for the administrative needs

of the conference

An annual conference session

designed around prayer and

worship, inspiration, training, and

witness through activities and

engagement with host communities

as a transforming presence

A continuation of

clergy and staff benefits

based on fairness and equality

of eligibility with current levels of

benefits serving

as the base line

A relationship with our affiliated institutions,

both current and emerging, that is mutually beneficial

A continuous process of evaluation and realignment of structures, programs, institutions, and personnel in order to increase the effectiveness of the church in its mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world

Dialogue

A new conference be created in the state of Indiana to meet for the first time in the year 2009 as the legal successor to each of the existing conferences.

A formal request be made to the 2008 North Central Jurisdictional

Conference for permission to create one conference

in Indiana.

An authorization be given to the bishop to name a team to develop a detailed plan of implementation to be brought to the 2008 sessions of the North Indiana Conference and South Indiana Conference for approval.

The new conference be formed in accordance with these

guiding principles.

A recognition of the local congregation

as the most significant arena in which disciple-making occurs

A shared ministry in which individual believers are connected to local congregations, local congregations are gathered into geographical clusters, geographical clusters are partnered with one another in regions, and regions are linked together as the conference

An expectation of collaboration that encourages the natural formation of partnerships based on shared affinities

An expectation of excellence in the formation of leaders,

both lay and clergy

A willingness to be held accountable, both personally and corporately, to our covenant relationships to God

and one another for the redemption of the world

A spirit of openness to explore new ways, models, and methods of being the church,

with the expectation of learning from both successes and failures

An administrative professional staff that serves to centralize common tasks (for example, finance, communication, technology), and programmatic professional staff that serves to resource congregations, clusters, and regions

A central location for the bishop's office

and a centralized system for the administrative needs

of the conference

An annual conference session

designed around prayer and

worship, inspiration, training, and

witness through activities and

engagement with host communities

as a transforming presence

A continuation of

clergy and staff benefits

based on fairness and equality

of eligibility with current levels of

benefits serving

as the base line

A relationship with our affiliated institutions,

both current and emerging, that is mutually beneficial

A continuous process of evaluation and realignment of structures, programs, institutions, and personnel in order to increase the effectiveness of the church in its mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world